I-70 Speeding Stop In Putnam County Turns Up Nearly 400 Pounds Of Coke

What started as a speeding stop on eastbound Interstate 70 in Putnam County turned into one of the biggest drug busts Indiana troopers have seen this year, with authorities pulling nearly 400 pounds of suspected cocaine from a trailer hitched to a vehicle on Monday morning.

Indiana State Police say the haul was stashed in duffel bags and cardboard boxes inside the trailer near the 37-mile marker. After the stop, troopers asked for and received consent to search the trailer and uncovered 392 pounds of suspected cocaine, a load that could be worth about $9 million on the street, according to CBS News Chicago.

The driver, identified by state police as a 27-year-old man from Bakersfield, California, was taken into custody and booked into the Putnam County Jail on a $30,000 cash bond. He was preliminarily charged with felony counts of dealing and possessing a narcotic drug. Final charges will come after the Putnam County prosecutor reviews the case.

Another major seizure on I-70 earlier this year

If the numbers feel familiar, that is because this is not the first massive cocaine seizure on this stretch of highway in 2024. On Jan. 3, troopers conducting what started as a routine inspection stopped a semi near the 41-mile marker and discovered 309 pounds of suspected cocaine, a load worth an estimated $7 million, as reported by WRTV.

State and local officials have pointed to basic DOT compliance checks and dedicated interdiction patrols along I-70 as the reason several large shipments have been intercepted in Putnam County this year. In other words, simple traffic work keeps turning into major drug cases.

How troopers say the stop unfolded

In this latest case, state police say a trooper first spotted the vehicle going above the posted speed limit and noticed what they described as “criminal indicators.” That mix of speeding and suspicious behavior led to the traffic stop and eventually to the request to search the trailer, according to CBS News Chicago.

Once the driver agreed to the search, troopers opened the trailer and found the duffel bags and boxes loaded with suspected cocaine. The driver was arrested at the scene without incident. The investigation remains active as authorities catalog the evidence and prepare it for the prosecutor.

Legal implications

The driver currently faces preliminary felony counts for dealing and possessing a narcotic drug. Prosecutors will determine the final slate of charges after reviewing the reports and evidence. Serious dealing charges tied to large quantities of narcotics in Indiana can be filed as Level 2 felonies. Under Indiana Code § 35-50-2-4.5, as outlined by Justia, a Level 2 felony carries a fixed prison term of 10 to 30 years with an advisory sentence of 17½ years, along with possible fines.

Authorities say the probe is ongoing and the Putnam County prosecutor will make charging decisions after the evidence review. Anyone with information connected to the case is asked to contact local law enforcement.